Eating foods that are local and in-season is just as (if not more) important than buying organic! Think about it. If your organic avocado traveled 2000 miles to get to you, how environmentally friendly is it? I have a lot of clients that tell me they don’t like certain fruits or vegetables. The problem is, a blueberry bought in December that was picked a week ago and trucked around the country tastes a LOT different from a local-picked blueberry in spring or summer. And I’m sure you noticed the difference in cost. Because we are spoiled and can have mostly any fruit or veggie accessible to us at large grocers at any time of year, I don’t think many people are paying attention to the timing of the season or where the produce is coming from.
Luckily in Florida, we can grow a lot of our own fruits and veggies. Here’s what to look for by season to get the best taste, price and nutrition:
Spring (March-May)
Bell peppers
Blueberries (April and May)
Broccoli (March)
Cabbage
Cantaloupe (April and May)
Carambola AKA star fruit
Carrot
Cauliflower
Celery
Cucumber
Eggplant
Grapefruit
Guava
Lettuce
Mushroom
Orange
Papaya
Potato
Radish
Snap bean
Spinach
Squash
Strawberry
Sweet Corn
Tomato
Watermelon (April and May)
Summer (June- August)
Avocado
Cantaloupe (June)
Guava
Lychee
Mango
Watermelon
Fall (September- November)
Avocado
Bell pepper
Broccoli
Carambola AKA star fruit
Cucumber
Eggplant
Grapefruit
Guava
Green beans
Mushroom
Papaya
Squash
Sweet corn
Tangerine
Tomato
Winter (December-February)
Avocado
Bell pepper
Broccoli
Cabbage
Carambola AKA star fruit
Cauliflower
Celery
Cucumber (October and November)
Eggplant
Grapefruit
Guava
Lettuce
Mushroom
Orange
Passionfruit
Radish
Snap bean
Squash
Strawberry
Sweet corn
Where to find fresh, local produce in Orlando:
Clemon’s Produce
Local Roots Farm Store, East End Market
Freshfields Farm
You can also look for the “Fresh from Florida” label in stores.